Woman hit with Taser, charged with attracting bears

Published: Friday, September 21, 2012 at 5:31 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, September 21, 2012 at 5:31 p.m.

A business owner who was hit with a Taser by an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and was taken to jail believes her arrest was unfair. The state agency disagrees.

Deborah R. Anderson, owner of Lake in the Forest RV Park in Silver Springs, was charged Thursday by an FWC officer with resisting arrest without violence and placing an attractant to create a nuisance or feeding a bear. Both offenses are misdemeanors.

Anderson, 50, was released later Thursday from the Marion County Jail on $1,500 bond.

Anderson said Friday in a telephone interview that arresting officer Joseph J. Simpson "had an attitude problem" once he came on her property. She said because she did not obey his command, she was hit with the Taser.

Simpson's report notes that he, another officer and a biologist went to the park after receiving a complaint about a nuisance bear. He noted that he saw a Dumpster was open and saw several other trash cans on the property with small amounts of trash in them. Simpson said they asked Anderson if she had any bear problems and she responded that a bear was inside the Dumpster last week during the day.

The report notes Anderson was told she needed to have a bear-resistant Dumpster and she reportedly got angry and said she was not going to do it because of children and guests. She then walked away and was told to return to the conversation.

Simpson said he told her they were talking about a criminal violation and that she would be resisting if she walked away.

The other officer, according to the report, tried several times to calm Anderson, to no avail. After being told she was going to get a citation, the report states, Anderson refused to give Simpson her identification and asked if she was going to be arrested. Simpson and Anderson went back and forth until the officer retrieved his Taser and applied a charge to Anderson. His colleague then handcuffed her and she was taken to jail.

Anderson said she doesn't remember how many times she was hit with the Taser. She said Simpson also threatened to apply it to her family, including her mother.

"I begged them to stay back," she said.

Anderson said she plans to hire an attorney. She said she does not know who called the commission about a bear.

She said she was issued a warning ticket a couple of months ago by FWC officials for feeding a bear, but denied doing so.

FWC officials said Friday that Anderson has lodged a complaint in relation to Thursday's incident. It will be reviewed by an Inspector General, who will look at use of force by the officer, witness statements and whether the use of the Taser was valid.

Records obtained by the Star-Banner from the FWC state the agency has received several bear complaints from Anderson and that she has repeatedly said she has done everything to prevent the bears from coming on the property.

The records note the warning ticket and also state that officials have noticed multiple violations on the property, such as animal food being left outside and trash left outside unattended.

In one of the documents, a biologist states that it does not appear that FWC warnings to deter bears would be heeded by Anderson.

<p>A business owner who was hit with a Taser by an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and was taken to jail believes her arrest was unfair. The state agency disagrees.</p><p>Deborah R. Anderson, owner of Lake in the Forest RV Park in Silver Springs, was charged Thursday by an FWC officer with resisting arrest without violence and placing an attractant to create a nuisance or feeding a bear. Both offenses are misdemeanors.</p><p>Anderson, 50, was released later Thursday from the Marion County Jail on $1,500 bond.</p><p>Anderson said Friday in a telephone interview that arresting officer Joseph J. Simpson "had an attitude problem" once he came on her property. She said because she did not obey his command, she was hit with the Taser.</p><p>Simpson's report notes that he, another officer and a biologist went to the park after receiving a complaint about a nuisance bear. He noted that he saw a Dumpster was open and saw several other trash cans on the property with small amounts of trash in them. Simpson said they asked Anderson if she had any bear problems and she responded that a bear was inside the Dumpster last week during the day.</p><p>The report notes Anderson was told she needed to have a bear-resistant Dumpster and she reportedly got angry and said she was not going to do it because of children and guests. She then walked away and was told to return to the conversation.</p><p>Simpson said he told her they were talking about a criminal violation and that she would be resisting if she walked away.</p><p>The other officer, according to the report, tried several times to calm Anderson, to no avail. After being told she was going to get a citation, the report states, Anderson refused to give Simpson her identification and asked if she was going to be arrested. Simpson and Anderson went back and forth until the officer retrieved his Taser and applied a charge to Anderson. His colleague then handcuffed her and she was taken to jail.</p><p>Anderson said she doesn't remember how many times she was hit with the Taser. She said Simpson also threatened to apply it to her family, including her mother.</p><p>"I begged them to stay back," she said.</p><p>Anderson said she plans to hire an attorney. She said she does not know who called the commission about a bear.</p><p>She said she was issued a warning ticket a couple of months ago by FWC officials for feeding a bear, but denied doing so.</p><p>FWC officials said Friday that Anderson has lodged a complaint in relation to Thursday's incident. It will be reviewed by an Inspector General, who will look at use of force by the officer, witness statements and whether the use of the Taser was valid.</p><p>Records obtained by the Star-Banner from the FWC state the agency has received several bear complaints from Anderson and that she has repeatedly said she has done everything to prevent the bears from coming on the property.</p><p>The records note the warning ticket and also state that officials have noticed multiple violations on the property, such as animal food being left outside and trash left outside unattended.</p><p>In one of the documents, a biologist states that it does not appear that FWC warnings to deter bears would be heeded by Anderson.</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>